


We're here

by Luffyzoro



Category: One Piece
Genre: Friendship, Luffy struggling with ace's death, One Piece - Freeform, nakamanship, really dramatic somewhat dark fanfic, slight zolu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 18:16:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11213559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luffyzoro/pseuds/Luffyzoro
Summary: He didn't want to see it anymore. Luffy just couldn't keep witnessing that horrific day, but it appeared without mercy, showing him over and over again how weak and helpless he was, how he had completely failed to save his family when he needed him. The constant reminder crushed him and soon, the unwavering future pirate king would be no more. But miles of ocean away, his friends and crew had a message for him and hopefully, it would be enough to save him.





	We're here

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING drama and a somewhat dark mood are great part of the story.

" Thank you....Thank you for loving me"

His brother went limp in his arms, his warm body succumbing and growing cold.

The young, raven haired boy looked almost in confusion at his brother's still body, and trembling, he shook his head.

No, his brother had promised him. He promised to never leave him alone!

But Ace's body kept still, now cold and lifeless.

The young brother let out tears of pain and with a heart breaking scream let the world know his loss.

The island echoed his distress as he bursted out of the nightmare, his throat raw and body layered in cold sweat. Luffy clawed his hands into the hard earth, willing his brain to completely come back to reality. 

The beast-infested island was disturbingly quiet. The trees surrounding him and Reyleight closing around them, blocking the dim light of the night, and to luffy's shocked system, air. The wide clearing began to blur and shrink around him, shadows moving and reaching out at his direction. He needed to get out, move. And with a quick glance at his mentor, he sprang from the suffocating space.

He ran in a daze, not seeing or hearing where he was going, his panic numbing his senses and thoughts, ignoring the rocks, trees and whatever else stood in his way, often crashing against them with enough force to send them flying off. The shaken teen would have probably ended up jumping off a cliff, drowning in a random pond or eaten up by a wild beast, but instinct always took control over his body during this situations, leading his legs to the only place that could provide him a sense of peace and calm in the dangerous island.

Breathing heavily, Luffy opened his way through the last set of trees into the shore, the vast stared-sky and endless sea immediately setting some of his wild emotions at peace or at least until he felt the intense ball of uneasiness a the edge of the forest. Luffy felt Reyleight's vast presence somewhere near the edge of the dense woods. He had followed. He wanted to help, and Luffy was grateful for it. Since he started training with him at the island, the pirate had been nothing but supportive, a needed friend that helped him avert his horrors, and Luffy had needed it. He hated himself for it, but there were times that he wished to forget everything and all, in hope that the horrible pain ingrained in his chest would stop; however, Reyleight couldn't provide that type of help. The horrors from that day were always present at the back of his brain, waiting for a moment of weakness. And they did so, at night, hunting his sleep with delicacy, slow, so slow, reminding him all, so painfully slow of his failure, and with a patient, comforting voice Reyleight had reminded him that it was over, that it was all on the past. That it wasn't his fault. But there were others, so vivid and clear that weren't that easy to avert his mind from, and to be honest, he was tired, exhausted of avoiding it. He just didn't know what to do anymore, just wished everything was a horrible nightmare. 

Reyleight searched him out with more urgency, but Luffy refused to reach out to his presence. He really liked the old man, but this was just one of the times when words and gestures of reassurance were useless. Luffy didn't want an " it's ok" or an " it wasn't you". He just wanted to be slapped with the harsh truth straight on the face, harder and harder each time. He was tired of lies, of being so weak. Just let it all come, he was done running. 

Rayleight insisted some more, his figure almost visible at the edge of the woods. The old pirate deeply cared for the young one, but he understood that loneliness was sometimes the best companion in these situations and so hesitantly, retired deep into the darkness, wishing that the boy's troubles were just the same and could be cast away with the morning's brilliance. 

Physically and mentally tired, Luffy let out a heavy sight and slowly, walked closer to the shore, stopping a few steps away from the coming water. He just stood, admiring the beauty of the sea, the way the moon's light seem to transform the waves into clear crystal. The soft breeze caressed his skin and played with his hair, the constant splash of waves, almost a lullaby to his ears. Luffy felt a strong sadness at the setting, a deep nostalgia that had his eyes watering and his chest aching yet could not remember why. He couldn't remember why he felt a constant pull towards the deadly ocean or why he was at this island, why he felt so empty. There was just exhaustion, the heavy weight of his every muscle pulling him down, and the always present fear that impede him from getting rest. His brain and body couldn't take much longer; there were times that Luffy swore he was becoming insane, seeing things, hearing- 

" luffy..." The whisper seemed so real. The hot breath of his brother hitting his ear, and chilling his every nerve. 

No. It's happening again!

The nightmares weren't the worst thing he had to deal with. That, he discovered the first night after wakening. There were times that the nightmares couldn't wait until nighttime and forced themselves into his brain during daylight, when he was still awake.

Luffy's heart knocked against his ribs like a wild bird in a cage as the pleasant crash of waves against the shore dissolved and his ears started ringing from the thundering of guns, his throat stinging from thick smoke. The night setting started to disappear as well, and then as if an apparition, shapes started to form on the once deserted beach. The nightmare was coming to life once more in front of his very eyes and just like the other times, his brain and body screamed for him to move, run far far away, but Luffy wouldn't, not this time, this was is fault, and he needed to confront it.

The screams and gunshots were now as loud and clear as that day, and Luffy knew it was coming. He willed his trembling legs from springing off, but couldn't help his eyes from closing just in time as the intense, metallic smell of blood filled his nostrils.

" Luffy..." Ace's voice sounded just besides his ear and the young pirate was unable to suppress the soft whimper escaping his lips. He could feel the warmness of his brother's blood covering his arms and chest, the light weight of his succumbing body pressing him down.

Just a vision, just hallucinating, confront it! Luffy kept repeating to himself, but his eyelids stayed closed through the endless chant. In a single month, he had seen his brother die six times, over and over again he was unable to do anything but watch as his precious brother breathed his last breath. He was wrong, he couldn't do this! 

Panic took hold of him again, the screams and explosions setting all his nerves in high alert. He tried to move, escape from the illusion but then-

" brother.." the hushed whisper petrified his body, and Luffy made the grave mistake of looking.

Blood, everywhere, the horrified scream died in his throat at the sight of his brother's impaled image. Ace, his brother, was dying again in front of his very eyes... because of him. Because of his stupidity.

" A-Ace" Luffy sobbed out, reaching with a shaky hand towards the bloody figure, but never able to touch, the fingers passing through like in a cloud, and Luffy choked with emotion. He couldn't do anything! Not Now or before. 

Ace, I-I'm sorry...I'm so sorry

Ace's image smiled as if in sympathy and closing up, spoke the same last crushing words his brother did." Thank you, for loving me..." The sobs and tears he fiercely tried to contain poured out of him like a current. Luffy felt like he was drowning, compressed by an immense force all around him, and he wanted to let go, close his eyelids and receive the sweet oblivion he so much wanted. He wanted this nightmare to stop; he couldn't keep fighting it nor live with it. He just couldn't. 

" Luffy..." the force closed around him. It was vast and filled with hunger, it wanted to eat his sanity which he so desperately tried to cling to. His will was crumbling; he was letting it after all, what was there to lose or to keep fighting for?

He had nothing. He had no one.

 

Miles of ocean away, the strawhat crew looked up the night sky in unison, as if its vastness might contain the answer to why they were abruptly pulled out of their deep slumber.

They had all gone through a long, exhausting day, Zoro training nonstop for a week straight with the swordsmonkeys, Sanji running 100 miles more than usual to escape from the grotesque crew of Okama, nami learning the complex patters of weather into dept with the old men, and the rest working just as hard to become stronger and fulfill their promise, but through a peaceful night of rest, an uneasy feeling in the air rose them all up from their slumber, increasing in alarm as the night passed.

An enemy? A storm? There were no signs of any of these dangers around any of their locations, but then what could it be? Nothing seem wrong except for... the air, which seemed to carry a chocking dread that put all of their nerves at edge. 

Something was definitely wrong, and they needed to know what, fast.

Zoro was the first one to figure it out. He had seen this before, felt the way the sky seemed to lessen in brightness and nature fall into absolute silence as in a form of respect or empathy. The only one person who can make the world itself mourn is the hyperactive ball of sunshine that gives meaning to their lives, and he was in trouble. They could all feel it now, or to be more precise, could not, their captain's presence was vanishing, his strong, massive will was almost unnoticeable to any of them anymore. Whatever was happening, he needed them, now. 

They all took off, thinking of the different ways they could reach the island faster, that was until rationality took hold of them. Even if they departed right away and knew the exact route, it would take days or even weeks to reach the destination, and that was valuable time they did not have. The situation was occurring right then, their help was required right then. It was an impossible task.

They cursed, desperation taking hold of them, and although impossible, kept thinking of a possible way in which they could reach their friend and leader. Zoro eyed the small boat abandoned at the beach again, actually thinking of setting off despite the discouraging facts and his unnatural sense of direction. He was the first mate, the captain's second in command, but over everything, he was Luffy's friend. Why couldn't he be there for him like he had for all of them?!

The distress in the air increased, and Luffy's presence became almost minimal. Chopper, nami and usopp started crying, Sanji punched a near by tree, forgetting for a moment how much his hands mean to him. The rest fell into a deep, grim silence that set every near creature into a frenzy run. 

Damn it! Zoro impaled the soft sand with his precious white katana, falling to his knees, and with furious, acid green eyes glared at the sky.

You made a promise...

" Luffy, you made us a promise!" his scream echoed throughout the almost empty island.

And you will damn well keep it

" You hear me luffy," the swordsman uttered as if the other was at his side, then in an outrageous roar he screamed," LUFFY!" 

He stood up, and with the same vigor, screamed his mind to the starred sky " The captain I know...the captain I acknowledge is not one to break a promise!"

" My captain does not give up to anything! We'll meet up in two years, your crew will be there...your crew, we, will be there, you're not alone"

...We are here...

" WE ARE HERE!" the words became a chant, and he kept screaming, screaming with only short enough pauses to get air and soon, it wasn't just him. The rest although miles away heard it, not with their ears, but something deeper inside each one was able to pick up the warming words carried by the wind, and they screamed in unison through the long night, hoping with all their hearts that their friend would also hear them.

 

Luffy drowned in a sea of chaos and despair, the sorrowful, last words of his brother only encouraging him to let go his remaining will to stay afloat and fight his horrors.

'Luffy..." Ace's image held him with more strength, the smell of blood chocking him, and in the false, suffocating embrace, he found himself fooled by the warmth and began to forget reality, to forget himself. There was just guilt, his mistake, his loss, and the pain and...and a whisper. A soft whisper that grew in strength.

" Luffy.." No, there was nothing, it was just-

"WE ARE HERE!" voices, many, calling out to him, louder than the shot-guns, than the screams or explosions, louder than his despairing heart, and like punch, it came to him. He remembered. He remembered his name, hid goal and his loyal friends who were still counting on him, believing on him. 

He laughed, not out of sanity, but amusement, amusement at his foolish self. There was still so much left for him to do, so many people counting on him, how could even his slow brain consider stopping his journey here?

Fearlessly, he opened his eyes, and standing up, he smiled down at the transparent image of his bloody brother. " I was unable to save you," he let the words out, " but I'll become stronger and stronger, much much stronger. I'll move forward. I'll become the future pirate king, so-" he turned around, and grabbing his hat, he putted it on." watch me closely.....nii-san" 

He started walking off and then..

"Luffy..." 

He turned around and with the same mischievous smile he remembered, Ace was greeting him. Strong, tall, and with fire in his eyes, he started at Luffy, smiled and disappeared with the rising sun.

Unconsciously, the young pirate's eyes let out a few tears 'cause although words were not spoken, Luffy heard his brother loud and clear.

I'll be watching 

Luffy smiled up at the rising sun and with a huge gulp of air, he shouted as loud as his lungs let him," Thank you, mina!" He laid down back on the warm sand, 'cause finally he knew nothing would disturb his sleep, and kept repeating those words until sweet rest took hold of him.

" Thank you, mina, thank you... thank you...thank... you..."

 

The sun rose, and with dry, aching throats, the tired strawhats kept their chant even after they were heard and the dreadful air disappeared. They kept at it until they felt the soothing presence of their captain sleeping, and even then, kept screaming it as if the chant was a comforting lullaby. Then, when they were unable to utter or whisper another word, they glanced up at the sky and after long moments of reassurance, with light hearts, they said farewell and walked off not to rest, but to train until their limbs and brain became unable to function, since they knew, it was what their captain would do to fulfill their promise. 

All retired, except for one particular green-haired swordsman. Zoro kept his intense gaze on the sky far longer after the sun had risen and just when it was shinning to its brightest is that he gave it his back and with a hoarse, deep voice of his used throat he said, 

"We're here for you idiot captain, don't you ever forget that."

With a long, last glance at the now sparkling sky, he entered the somber castle with only one thought, one goal, one purpose, his eyes shining an intense, resolved green.

To protect my crew and my captain, I'll become the strongest sword-man in existence.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
